Brendan Rodgers hopes to complete a deal for the Belgian next week in a move which could signal the exit of current No1 Pepe Reina.

The Reds have offered £8m for Mignolet while Sunderland are holding out for £10m.

But the clubs are expected to reach an agreement in the coming days.

Assuming the two clubs come to an agreement soon, Rodgers will have pulled off a very smart move, because Mignolet is without a doubt one of the most promising stoppers in the Premier League.

At just 25, the Belgian international's best days are certainly ahead of him, and given how strong he's been for Sunderland for more than a year now, his play will only improve as a member of a more talented squad such as Liverpool.

For the Reds, acquiring Mignolet is a much-needed sign for the club's legions of fans around the world that this is a team that is trending in the right direction. He may not be the sexiest target on the transfer market, but given his price tag and pedigree, Mignolet's arrival should be welcomed by the Anfield faithful.

By nature, goalkeepers often develop late, and given that the 6'3" Mignolet has only been a full-time starter for less than three seasons, he's bound to be considerably better by the time Rodgers is even close to being done with the rebuild he started roughly one year ago.

No, Mignolet isn't going to suddenly vault the Reds back into contention for Premier League supremacy, but it's a legitimate step in the right direction.

It's not that Pepe Reina was the problem with Liverpool—but at 30, he was a stopgap within the Rodgers regime, so it only makes sense that the former Swansea City manager opted to find a more permanent solution in goal for his football club.